Moore, Montana

Grain Elevatore at Moore. Moore, Montana was named after a Mr. Moore of Philadelphia who rendered financial help to Richard A. Harlow when he was building the Jaw Bone Railroad from Harlowton to Lewistown. Moore’s first post office opened in 1904. The first elevator in Moore, and in the entire Judith Basin, was built by by Charles McClave, in the fall of 1904, by the Montana Elevator Co. with William White as Manager. In the Spring of 1904, the first store started in Moore. It was known as the Judith Mercantile Company. Mr. Barney moved his store from "Rockford" at the lower crossing of "Rock Creek" to the new town of Moore in 1904. The Moore Mercantile Co. started business in 1904 by Horace Phillips, who moved his stock of merchandise from Utica. The first hardware store was started in 1905 with A. M. Mathews as manager, in the frame building afterwards used for the "Gardner Cafe." In 1905 the Stone Bank Building was built, known as the Citizen's Bank, with Gordon Shaffer as Cashier. This bank changed to a National Bank and J. H. Morrow and Bert Scott from Fargo, North Dakota, purchased the controlling interest in 1910. Mr. Morrow was President and Mr. Scott was Cashier. During the financial depression of 1923 the Bank suspended. The State Bank built a brick building in 1905. The Moore Independent, a weekly newspaper started operating under the management of Mr. Willes.